Canister set



May 28,1968 B. BLISS 3,385,465

CANI STER SET Filed Dec. 16, 1966 .INVENTOR. BEATRICE BLISS ATTORNEYUnited States Patent 3,385,465 CANISTER SET Beatrice Bliss, P.O. Box47607 Los Angeles, Calif. 90047 Filed Dec. 16, 1966, Ser. No. 602,341 8Claims. (Cl. 22023.4)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A set of canisters, each canister having acontainer portion of substantially triangular horizontal cross-sectionand a handle portion of substantially arcuate horizontal crosssection,whereby an assembly of the set of canisters has a horizontalcross-section through the container portions of a regular polygon and ahorizontal cross-section through the handle portions of a circle havingsubstantially the same diameter as the polygon. Each handle portionincludes an upwardly directed digit receiving recess. The set may bedisposed on a rotatable tray having substantially the same diameter asthe polygon.

Background of the invention (1) Field of the invention This inventionpertains to receptacles generally, and more particularly to containers,each having a handle, which are disposed in an assembly or set, whichoccupy and interfere with a minimum of shelf area, while providing amaximum storage volume.

(2) Description of the prior art Canister sets are well known, and maybe found in almost any kitchen. They are customarily used to store dry,granular material, such as flour, sugar, salt, coffee, tea, etc.Commonly, the canisters are arranged in a rectilinear row. Since mostpantry shelves are deeper from front to rear than the canister is, thedifference in depth is either wasted, or inconveniently utilized. Someother article may be placed in front of or behind the canister, and onemust be removed to get at the other. If the canisters do not havehandles, they cannot be conveniently stored on an upper shelf above theuser, as the user must grasp the canister across its diameter to move itsafely.

Summary of the invention Objects of this invention are to provide a setof canisters which will require a minimum of shelf space, will makemaximum use of the depth of the shelf, will provide a maximum storagevolume, and which will be accesssible when disposed above the user.

A feature of this invention is the provision of a set of canisters whichwhen assembled or arranged together as a set provide maximum storagevolume for the shelf area occupied or interfered with. Each canister isformed with a container portion of substantially triangular horizontalcross-section and a handle portion of a substantially arcuate horizontalcross-section, whereby the shelf occupied by the assembly issubstantially fully utilized in storage volume. The set is disposed on arotatable tray so that each canister may be presented to the front ofthe shelf. Each handle is formed with an upwardly directed digitreceiving recess so that the user may conveniently move a canister byinserting one or more digits upwardly into the recess.

Brief description of the drawing These and other objects, features andadvantages of the invention will be apparent from the followingdisclosure taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Patented May 28, 1968 Description of the preferred embodiment As shownin FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of this invention comprises anassembly of five canisters 10 disposed on a rotatable tray 12. Eachcanister has a body portion 14, a handle portion 16 and a removable lid18. The

body portion 14 is substantially triangular in horizontal cross-section,having two flat, apex proximal, walls 20 and 22, and a slightly arcuate,apex remote wall 24. The radius of curvature of the wall 24 is less thanthe width of the wall 20 or 22. The upper portion of the wall 24 isstepped outwardly at 26 into a curvature of slightly greater radius thanthe lower remaining portion. A wall 28 is joined to an merges into theupper portion 26 of the wall 24, and the upper portions of the sidecorners 30 and 32 of the wall 24. The wall 28 has a radius of curvaturesubstantially equal to the width of the wall 20 or 22, and is bowedoutwardly in the downward direction. The wall 28 in combination with thewall 24 forms the handle portion and the gap 34 between the two wallsserves as an upwardly directed, digit receiving recess. The joining ofthe wall 28 to the body portion along three of its margins provides thewall with relatively great strength against excessive flexing, andpermits a relatively thin wall to support a heavily loaded canister. Thelid 18 has a flat wall 36 which overlies the top of the body portion anda downwardly extending annular wall 38 of substantially triangular shapewhich conforms to and fits within the three walls of the body portion.The width of the marginal portions of the flat wall 36 which overlie thewalls 20 and 22 is made equal to the thickness of these walls so thatadjacent canisters may be disposed in wall t9 wall abutment withoutobstruction by their lids. The width of the marginal portion 36a of theflat wall 36 which overlies the wall 24 is made greater than thethickness of that wall, advantageously of equal radius within the bottomedge 28a. This overextending marginal portion 36c provides a convenienthandle for the lid.

The assembly of canister may be disposed on a rotatable tray 40,sometimes known as a Lazy Susan. The tray here shown includes a fiatcircuilar portion 42 having annular, upstanding rim 44, an annular footand raceway 46, and a plurality of spherical bearings 48 capturedbetween the raceway and the flat portion.

When the canisters are on the tray, the tray may be rotated to presentany one of the canisters to the user. A canister may be convenientlyremoved from and placed upon the tray by the user by the insertion ofone or more digits into the recess 34. This may be accomplished evenwhen the set is on a relatively high shelf above the user who mustengage in a maximum body extension to reach the recess.

Other articles may be safely disposed on the same shelf closely adjacentthe assembly without fear of an upset, since there are no elongatedprojections on the assembly which might swing around to knock anotherarticle.

It will be appreciated that the assembly is not limited to use onshelves with a rotatable tray, but may also be used in open, accesibleareas, with a fixed tray or without atray.

The canisters may advantageously be made of a translucent plastic, sothat the level of the contents is readily visible through the wallsthereof.

While a preferred embodiment of this invention has been illustrated, itwill be obvious to those skilled in the art that the invention may beembodied otherwise than as specifically illustrated or described, andthat certain changes in the form and arrangement of parts may be madewithout departing from the underlying principles of this inventionwithin the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A canister, comprising:

a body portion having a horizontal, substantially triangular,cross-section provided by three upstanding side walls;

those two of said side walls which are proximal to and merge to form theapex corner being substantially planar;

that one of said side walls which is remote from said apex corner beingsubstantially cylindrical and having a radius of curvature which is lessthan the width of either of the apex corner proximal side walls; and

an additional wall, secured to said apex corner remote side of said bodyportion, along the top and two side marginal portions thereof, having alower edge spaced up from the bottom of said body portion, and having aradius of curvature substantially equal to the width of either of theapex corner proximal side walls;

thereby providing an upwardly extending recess between said additionalwall and the companion upper portion of said apex corner remote sidewall.

2. A canister according to claim 1, further including:

a lid disposed on top of said body portion having a flat, horizontalannular portion overlying said side walls of said body portion and adownwardly extending, annular rim portion conforming to and disposablewithin said body portion;

the parts of said horizontal portion overlying said two apex corneradjacent sidewalls being equal in width respectively to the thickness ofsaid two sidewalls;

and the part of said horizontal portion overlying said apex cornerremote sidewall extending beyond the upper part of said additionalsidewall.

3. A canister according to claim 2, wherein:

said substantially cylindrical additional sidewall is slightly tapereddownwardly outwardly, the lower portion of said additional sidewallhaving said radius of curvature which is substantially equal to thewidth of either of said apex corner proximal sidewalls;

said part of said horizontal portion of said lid overlying said apexcorner remote sidewall being substantially congruent with said lowerportion of said additional sidewall.

additional wall of substantially a regular polygon,

and having a cross-sectional area through said additional wall ofsubstantially a circle.

6. An assembly of canisters according to claim 5 wherein:

said canisters are disposed on a circular tray having an upstandingannular rim conforming to said circle.

7. An assembly according to claim 6 wherein said tray has a base meanswhich supports the tray for rotation.

8. A canister comprising:

a body portion having a horizontal, substantially triangularcross-section provided by three upstanding side walls;

an additional wall, secured to the apex corner remote side wall of saidbody portion, along the top and two side marginal portions thereof,having a lower edge spaced up from the bottom of said body portion, andhaving a radius of curvature substantially equal to the width of eitherof the apex corner proximal side walls, thereby providing an upwardlyextending recess between said additional wall and the companion upperportion of said apex corner remote side wall; and

the upper margin of said apex corner remote side wall being steppedoutwardly to conform to the radius of curvature of said additional wall.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1938 Great Britain.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner. GEORGE E. LOWRANCE, Examiner.

